The principal source of leisure in the town was, and
still is, the public house. I have attempted to produce
a complete list of pubs that have existed in the town
over the last 150 years. The ones marked in yellow no
longer survive, although the building may still exist.
If anyone can add to the list or make any corrections
please send
me an email.

Albert Street

The British Queen

James Bridge

The Globe Inn

Aldridge Street

The Bee Hive

James Bridge

The Railway Tavern

Bell
Street

The Engine
Inn

James
Bridge

The Royal George

Bell
Street

The Old
House At Home

King Street

The Dog &
Partridge

Bell Street

The Vine

King Street

The New
Inn

Bentley
Road

The Boat
Inn

King Street

The
Queen's Head

Bentley
Road

The Bridge

King
Street

The Waggon & Horses

Bentley
Road

The Lord
Nelson

King
Street

The White Lion

Bentley
Road North

Bentley
Green

King Edward
Street

The Crown

Bilston
Street

The Bolt
Makers Arms

Little
Cross Street

The Spread
Eagle

Bilston
Street

The
Bradford Arms

Moxley
Road

The Duke of York

Bilston
Street

The
White Dog

Moxley
Road

The Golden Cup

Birmingham
Street

The Acorn

Moxley
Road

The Magic Lantern

Blakemore's Lane

The
Woodman

Moxley Road

The Red Lion

Blockall

The Scott
Arms

Moxley
Road

The Swan

Blockall

The Dog &
Pheasant

Moxley
Road

The Three Fishes

Booth Street

The Royal Oak

New Street

Sir Robert Peel

Bull Stake

The Old
Castle Hotel

New Street

The Crown & Cross Guns

Bull Stake

The Three
Horse Shoes

Old Park Road

The Black Horse

Bull
Street

The
Cottage of Content

Pinfold Street

The Bird
In Hand

Bull Street

The Engine

Pinfold
Street

The Black Horse

Bush Street

The Old Bush

Pinfold
Street

The Manchester

Catherine's Cross

The
Mineborer's Arms

Pinfold
Street

The Noah's Ark

Catherine's Cross

The Nelson

Pinfold
Street

The Trooper

Catherine's Cross

The Royal Exchange

Pinfold Street

The Union

Catherine's Cross

The Staffordshire Knot

Queen
Street

The British Oak

Church
Street

The Bell

Rough Hay
Road

Rough Hay Tavern

Church
Street

The George

St. John's
Road

The Traveller's Rest

Church Street

The Green Dragon

Smith
Street

The Fortune of War

Church
Street

The Red
Lion

Station
Street

The Anchor

Church St.
Moxley

The
Struggler

Station
Street

The Junction

Churchill
Road

The Old
Hall

Station
Street

The Royal George

Cock
Street

The Bull's
Head

Station
Street

The Vine

Cock
Street

The
Dartmouth Arms

The Green

The
Cottage of Content

Cock
Street

The Rose
and Crown

The Green

The Fox

Cock
Street

The Three
Crowns

The Green

The Freemason's Arms

Cramp Hill

The Old
Crown Inn

The Green

The Green Man

Cramp Hill

The King's
Arms

The Green

The Nag's Head

Cramp Hill

The Spread
Eagle

The Green

The New Inns

Cross
Street

The Barley
Mow

The Green

The Royal Exchange

Cross
Street

The Greyhound

The Green

The Why Not Inn

Cross
Street

The King's
Arms

The Leys

The Duke of Wellington

Dale End

The Red
Cow

The Leys

The Seven Stars

Darlaston
Road

King's
Hill Tavern

Victoria Road

The Swan

Darlaston
Road

The Dog

Walsall
Road

The Cellar

Darlaston
Road

The Golden
Cup

Walsall Road

Fallings Heath Tavern

Darlaston
Road

The Old Barrel

Walsall Road

The Fountain

Darlaston
Road

The Rose &
Crown

Walsall Road

The Horse & Jockey

Darlaston
Road

The Swan
Hotel

Walsall Road

The Prince of Wales

Eldon
Street

The Dun
Cow

Walsall Road

The Spring Head Tavern

Forge Road

Herberts
Park Tavern

Walsall Road

The Star Music Hall

Forge Road

The New Junction

Walsall
Road

The Victoria Inn

Foster
Street

The Castle

Walsall Street

The Bee
Hive

Foster
Street

The Oak
Tree

Walsall Street

The Red
Cow

Foster
Street

The Scott
Arms

Willenhall Road

The British Oak

Foundry
Street

The Lamp Tavern

Willenhall Road

The Green Man

Great Bridge
Road, Moxley

The Traveller's
Rest

Willenhall
Road

The Forge

Great Bridge
Road, Moxley

The Fiery Holes

Willenhall Street

The Frying Pan

Great Croft Street

The British Legion

Willenhall Street

The Golden Cup

Great
Croft Street

The Royal
Oak

Willenhall
Street

The Greyhound

Heath Road

The Forge
Hammer

Willenhall
Street

The Rolling Mills

High
Street, Moxley

The Old
Britannia

Willenhall
Street

The Sports & Social Club

High
Street, Moxley

The Moxley
Arms

Wiley Avenue

The Aladdin's Lamp

High
Street, Moxley

The Rose &
Crown

W'ton Road West

The Red Lion, now The
Keymaster

Holyhead
Road

Highgate
Arms

W'ton Road West

The Lane Arms

Holyhead
Road

The George

Wolverhampton St.

The George

Horton
Street

The Barrel

Wolverhampton St.

The White Horse Inn

Hughes Rd. Moxley

The Royal George

There were also several clubs such as the Darlaston
Ex-Servicemen's Club in Campbell Place, The Free
Gardner's in King Edward Street (now The Crown), Bentley Labour Club in
Bentley Road North, Darlaston Labour Club in Willenhall
Street (now the Sports and Social Club), and Darlaston
Conservative Club, which was in Church Street and is now
in Little Cross Street.

In the 19th century, many beer houses opened in people's front rooms, where beer was
usually dispensed from a jug. Most were never named, but
some were, just like public houses. Several of the more
successful establishments eventually became conventional
pubs. Within a few years of the Passing of the Beer
House Act in 1830, Darlaston had more beer houses than
fully-licensed pubs. White's History, Gazetteer and
Directory of Staffordshire, published in 1834 lists 17
pubs in the town, and 34 beer houses. The 1851 edition
lists 20 pubs, and 73 beer houses.

Some of the named beer houses were as follows:

Blakemores
Lane

The Woodman

Heathfield
Lane

The Bridge

Bentley Road

Brook Tavern

King Street

The Queen's Head

Bilston Street

The
Bricklayer's Arms

Moxley Road

The Black
Horse

Catherine's
Cross

The Blue Pig

Moxley Road

The Three Perches

Catherine's
Cross

The Hen &
Chickens

New Street

The Cross Guns

Catherine's
Cross

The Sycamore
Tree

New Street

The Lamp

Catherine's
Cross

The Unicorn

Pinfold Street

The Ancient Briton

Cock Street

The Bull's
Head

Pinfold Street

The Black Horse

Cock Street

The Cottage
Spring

Pinfold Street

The Hop & Barleycorn

Cock Street

The Jolly
Crispin

Pinfold Street

The Noah's Ark

Cock Street

The Seven
Stars

Pinfold Street

The Union

Cock Street

The Thatched
House

The Green

The Fox

Cramp Hill

The Rose & Punchbowl

The Green

The Green Man

Cramp Hill

The Vine

The Green

The Plough

Eldon Street

The Earl Grey

The Green

The Vauxhall

Foster Street

The Junction
Inn

Some of the unnamed beer houses were run by the
following people:

Bilston Street

John Stokes

Cock Street

James Foster

Buttcroft

Benjamin Baker

Cock Street

Thomas Wood

Buttcroft

William
Partridge

Great Croft
Street

George Wilkes

Catherine's
Cross

Richard Butler

One of Darlaston's named
beerhouses was at 34 Foster Street, at the junction
of Slater Street and Walsall Street. The details of
the beerhouse and the licensee were kindly sent in
by Bud Flanagan, whose
family lived at 34 Foster Street, until the mid
1950s, when the house was demolished.

This
part of Darlaston grew rapidly in the middle of the
19th century. It had not suffered as much as other
parts of the town from the digging of copious bell
pits, and so was an ideal area for housing. Joseph
Welch's 1838 map of Darlaston shows the old field
boundaries between Walsall Street and Foster Street,
suggesting that up to that time the land was used
for agriculture. The area, previously known as
Wilkes's and Shale's Crofts was owned by Charles
Foster, who ran the Bell public house. He had the
local roads built, including Foster Street which is
named after him, and sold measured building plots to
would-be house builders. The land was sold at
auction, at the Bell, on 2nd May, 1836. Within a few
years the area began to build-up with terraced
houses, courtyards, and back yards with small
workshops. The houses were badly needed because of
the rapidly rising population, caused by large
numbers of people moving into the area to take
advantage of the jobs that were on offer in the growing
industries.

This
was an ideal area for a beerhouse, serving a large
local population. Unfortunately the business does
not appear to have been a success, possibly because
of competition from the other local beerhouses and
public houses. It must have opened before
the introduction of the Wine and Beer House Act of
1869, which prevented the opening of new beerhouses,
and tightened local magistrates' control of the
industry. It survived
until 1879 and so must have been in business for at
least ten years.

The location of the Junction
Inn. I have included the Central Schools (later
Slater Street Secondary Modern) on the map because they
were a well-known landmark. The school was built in
1885, six years after the closure of the Junction Inn,
and nine years before the building of Waverley Road,
completed in 1894.

The licensee, Thomas Bradbury, was a man of many
talents. He not only ran the beerhouse, but must also
have brewed the beer because the back yard contained a
malthouse. He also worked as a locksmith, possibly in a
workshop in one of the outbuildings. The following two
notices, one of his bankruptcy, and another of the sale
details, indicate that the beerhouse must have closed at
this time. Because he was declared bankrupt in 1879, ten
years after the introduction of the Wine and Beer House
Act, it would not have been possible for the new owner
to obtain a beerhouse license. By the 1920s it was owned
by H. Purcell who is listed as a general dealer, so it
became what we now call a corner shop.

The Bankruptcy Act, 1869,
In the County Court of
Staffordshire, holden at
Wolverhampton.

In the matter of Proceedings
for Liquidation by Arrangement or Composition with
Creditors, instituted by Thomas Bradbury, of No. 20,
Shepwell Green, Willenhall, in the County of
Stafford, Locksmith, but recently of the Junction
Inn, Foster Street, Darlaston, in the said county of
Stafford, Beerhouse Keeper, and Locksmith.

Notice is hereby given, that a
First General Meeting of the creditors of the
above-named person has been summoned to be held at
the offices of Mr. George Baker, Solicitor, 63
Walsall Street, Willenhall, in the said county of
Stafford, on the 30th day of May, 1879, at eleven
o’clock in the forenoon precisely. Dated this 14th
of May, 1879.

George Baker, 63 Walsall
Street, Willenhall, Solicitor for the said Thomas
Bradbury.

Courtesy of Bud
Flanagan.

Wednesbury Herald 9th April
1881

Mr. D. W. Lees has received
instructions from the Mortgagee to offer for
sale by Auction the following valuable freehold
property on Tuesday, April 19th, 1881......All that Beerhouse known
as the Junction Inn, situate in and being numbered
34 Foster Street, Darlaston, with the Yard,
Malthouse, and Outbuildings thereto belonging; now
void, but when last tenanted produced a nett rental
of £13.0s.0d. per annum.

Courtesy of Bud
Flanagan.

Read about the history of
pubs,
how they evolved, and many of
the interesting pubs in the town

From an old postcard.

A receipt from the Old Castle Hotel, dated
1874.

The Three Horse Shoes in
Pinfold Street, sometime after 1920. Left to right:
unknown, Arthur Wilkes, Christopher George Wilkes, George
Henry Wilkes. George Henry Wilkes ran the pub from
around 1920. Christopher (known as George) was his son, and Arthur his
brother, who became the manager of Bishop & Marston's furniture shop in Church Street. George's
brother Ernie kept the Royal Oak in Booth Street,
which became known as "Wilkies". Courtesy of Dave
Wilkes.

The Red Cow in Dale End.

The photo, dated June 1913 shows landlord George

Henry Wilkes holding his
son Christopher George Wilkes.

Courtesy of Dave Wilkes.

After closure in the late 1920s the Red Cow became a
private residence, and remained as such until its
demolition in the early 1970s. The following memories of
the building's later years were kindly supplied by Dave
Bourne:

The
Red Cow was de-licensed, and sold at auction around
1928/29 by the brewery that stood just around the corner
in Church street. It was bought by William Samuel
Butler, a wonderful man who my mother says was always
like a grandfather to her. I can remember seeing an old
photo of him, an imposing chap, complete with suit &
waistcoat, starched collar, tie, hat, full-hunter watch
and guard, walking stick etc., not forgetting his
handlebar moustache! A proper Victorian type of gent.

William
Butler moved into the property, and employed my gran;
Annie Spruce, nee Gibbs, as his house keeper. A short
while later, my gran, granddad Thomas, and three
children, Elizabeth, Thomas and Kathleen, all moved in
with him. On the 15th of May 1930, Freda, my mother, was
born at the property.

Following Mr.
Butler’s death, the house was then owned outright by my
gran & granddad, because Mr. Butler had left it to them
in his will. A coal yard was then opened at the side,
which operated for a number of years, before my
grandfather sold out to Hodson`s coal merchants of
Willenhall. My mother says that my gran nearly belted my
granddad around the head with a frying pan when he told
her what he had done, as she knew nothing about it! They
also kept pigs and chickens in the yard of the property,
and slaughtered them there as well. I can still remember
the old brick-built pigsties as a young child.

The original
building was eventually demolished in 1971/2, after the
new house which stands there now, had been built at its
side, and my Aunt Kathleen Sheldon, her husband and two
children moved into it. It had been intended to renovate
the old place, but it was found to be in too poor a
state, hence its demolition.

The house
finally went out of family ownership in 2003 following
the death of my Aunt Kath. Around the time the new house
was built, its number was changed by the Council from 17
to 37 Dale End, as a development of new low-rise flats
was built to the side, and off Church Street.

I have many
fond memories of the ramshackle and sprawling old
house/Red Cow, and indeed the one that stands there now.
My favourite place was always the top attic, which had
previously been my mother’s and Aunt Kath`s bedroom. My
mother, Freda, still lives in the Darlaston Area, and is
79 soon. She is a real font of local knowledge, and we
have many conversations about old Darlaston town and its
long forgotten buildings and people.

Dave Bourne.
May 2009

The Old Barrel. Courtesy
of David Adams.

David Adams has kindly allowed me to include
his photographs of the Old Barrel which stood in
Darlaston Road, King's Hill.

In 1921 the
licensee was A. Blakemore, who was followed by
David's grandfather George Golcher. This
photograph was taken in 1922 and shows George
Golcher on the left, with his friend Mr. Harvey.

George Golcher was licensee of the Old Barrel
for about twenty four years, until his death in 1947,
when it was taken over by his son, Alfred Adams,
who ran it for two years.

George was known as the landlord who never
called time. When drinking-up time came, he
indicated it by putting on his straw hat.

David Adams spent the first eighteen years of
his life at the the Old Barrel.

The pub had many sporting connections. Jimmy
Driscoll the boxer trained there, and it was
home to a pigeon flying club, and a cycling
club.

The Old Barrel stood in Darlaston Road, on
the corner of what is now Parklands Road, where
the flats now stand.

Another view of the
Old Barrel with George Golcher stood in the
doorway, wearing his straw hat. Courtesy of
David Adams. The photograph was taken by
David's father Alfred Adams.

The photo on the
right, courtesy of David Adams, shows George
Golcher and his straw hat.

The obituary on the
left, also courtesy of David Adams, is dated
21st June, 1947.

The Greyhound in Cross
Street. For sixty years from 1891 until 1951
it was kept by my great grandfather John
Gardner Parker, and his daughter Mary A.
Parker.

Another view of The
Greyhound, which stood near the end of Cross
Street and the junction with Willenhall
Street. The factory in the distance is part
of David Etchells and Son Limited.

View some
photographs of
Darlaston pubs past and present

The Black Horse pub on the
left was the oldest public house in the centre of Darlaston, dating
from the late 18th century.

It was once the headquarters of
the town's horse racing fraternity, and is shown here
just
before demolition.

Members of staff
standing outside
the Black Horse in Pinfold Street.

Courtesy of Tony
Highfield.

Mr.
and Mrs. Tom Newton of the Black
Horse photographed in 1922 at
the age of 80.

At the
time they had been running the
pub for 36 years.

When
they started at the pub it was
owned by the Bloxwich Brewery
Company which became part of W.
Butler & Company Limited in
1923.

Bowling Clubs

The Railway Tavern in
the mid 1990s.

An advert
from 1989.

The Railway Tavern Bowling
Club in 1927 when the pub was owned by W. Butler
& Co. Ltd.

From the
April 1927 edition of Butler's
magazine:

Railway Tavern Bowling Club

Rapid Progress made in Two
Years

The second
annual dinner in connection with
the Railway Tavern Bowling Club,
James Bridge, Darlaston, was
held on Wednesday evening, March
2nd, when Mr. W. Reynolds,
chairman of the club, presided.
The club did exceptionally well
last season, winning the
Darlaston Central League,
Wednesbury and District League
B. Section, the "Forsyth"
Hospital Cup, while they were
the semi-finalists in the
Staffordshire Cup Competition.

A capital
repast was provided by Mr. F. A.
Wadsworth, of Wednesbury, which
was thoroughly enjoyed. After
the toast of "The King" the
Chairman said how pleased he was
to see so many present. He
regretted the absence of the
President, and hoped they would
see him at the opening of the
green.

The balance
sheet was presented by Mr.
Davies, and showed that the
income was £46 19s. 3d.,
including a balance brought
forward, while they finished the
season with £4 12s. 3d. in hand.
Mr. G. Smith, in proposing a
vote of thanks to the visitors,
said how pleased they were to
see Mr. Rubin, and hoped he
would be with them for many
years, also Councillor C.
Simmonds, Mr. Bignell, and Mr.
Bratt.

In
responding, Mr. Rubin said he
was delighted to hear the
progress the club had made
during the two years of its
existence, and it was a source
of surprise to him to hear they
had lifted all the cups
available in the district. Mr.
Smith had remarked that he hoped
during the summer they might get
a challenge cup, but there was
no need to wait until then as he
would give one right away. Mr.
E. Whitehouse said he would be
pleased to give a medal to go
with the cup.

During the
evening an enjoyable musical
programme was gone through, the
artistes including Messrs. M.
Sweeney, H. Longmore, S. Booth,
B. Griffiths, and H. Thorney,
and Captain Dickenson, while Mr.
T. Moran was the accompanist.

The 1928 Railway
Tavern Bowling Club, from Butler's
magazine. They were winners of the
Wednesbury League, Butler's League, the
Dudley Docker Cup, the Barlow Cup
Competition, Wednesbury Individual
Merit, and runners-up in the Walsall
League, and the Forsyth Cup.

From the December
1929 edition of Butler's
magazine:

Darlaston and District
Butler's Bowling League

The Second
Annual Dinner and Prize
Distribution of the above League
was held on Thursday, November
14th, at the Duke of York Inn,
Darlaston. About fifty members
and friends sat down to an
excellent repast provided by the
Host and Hostess, Mr. and Mrs.
Nicholls.

After
dinner the League President (Mr.
J. B. Newey) took the chair. He
congratulated the members on the
success of the League during the
two seasons it had been in
existence, and said that he
would do all in his power to
help it forward. The League
Chairman (Mr. W. Reynolds) then
gave a report, during which he
mentioned the deaths of Mr. G.
Garratley and Mr. T. Causer, the
company standing in silence as a
tribute to their memory.

The
auditors' report was given by
Mr. E. Bradley, and showed a
balance in hand of £3 17s. 3d.
Mr. Bradley congratulated the
secretary and treasurer on the
way in which the books and
accounts had been kept. The
secretary then gave his report.
The winners of the League Cup
were the Railway Tavern B.C.,
who also reached the final of
the Staffordshire Cup
Championship, where they were
defeated by the Molineux B.C.,
another Butler’s club. The
Railway Tavern B.C. also won the
Darlaston Central League
Championship and were runners-up
in the Wednesbury League, truly
a fine record.

The
runners-up in the Butler's
League were the Old Bush Inn
B.C., who were also runners-up
in the Darlaston Central League.
The Docker Charity Cup was won
by the Duke of York Club. Mr. A.
Dale won the Barlow Charity Cup
for the second year in
succession, while Mr. I. A.
Weekes was chosen reserve player
for the County team in the
Crosfield Cup competition.

During the
evening an excellent musical
programme was given by the
following artistes:- Mrs.
Nicholls, Mrs. Brookes, Miss May
Green and Messrs. Reg. Butler,
Fisher, Nicholls and the two
"B's " (Messrs. Beaumont and
Boot).

Votes of
thanks were given to all taking
part, and an enjoyable evening
was brought to a close by the
singing of the National Anthem.

The George, that stood on
the Holyhead Road at Moxley.

On Monday
4th May, 1987 regulars at the
Staffordshire Knot pub raised £2,500
for charity after a 20 mile
sponsored barrel-push. About 50
regulars from the pub pushed an
empty barrel from Catherine's Cross
to West Bromwich and back, via Stone
Cross and Sandwell Valley. The money
was divided between the Queen
Elizabeth Hospital at Birmingham,
and the Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit
at Walsall.

The
barrel-pushers on the photo opposite
were as follows:

Front left
to right: Roy Dickinson, Tracey
Adams, Paula Siverns, and Michelle
Williams. Behind them left to right:
Licensee Tony Devanney, resident DJ
Gerald Fiddler, and Ian Cartwright.
At the back left to right: Tony
McManus, Dave Taylor, organiser
Angela Whitehouse in the barrel, and
Diane Howell. On top Susan Hingley
and Valerie Howell.

The Why Not Inn
before the building of the Houses in
Bell Close. Taken by Richard Ashmore, Courtesy of John & Christine
Ashmore.

An advert from 1975

I would like to thank Ian Baker, Paul Bridges, the late Harry Flavell, Barry Rutter, and the late Bill Whitehouse for
their help in compiling the list of pubs, Irene Bishop
for the photo inside the Victoria Inn, Ian Beach for
the photograph and information about Martin Perry
Foster, Dave Wilkes for the photos and information about
the Three Horse Shoes and the Red Cow, Dave Bourne for his memories of the Red Cow,
and last but not least Bud Flanagan for the details of
the Junction Inn.